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Imagination Graphics DDK EUVDEUVD-2026-43032

| CVE-2026-34196 HIGH
Use After Free (CWE-416)
2026-07-10 imaginationtech GHSA-54wp-4fgx-pxg4
7.8
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: imaginationtech
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Recon
    Run unprivileged code on device
  2. Delivery
    Issue crafted GPU mapping syscalls
  3. Exploit
    Integer overflow aliases two VAs to one page
  4. Install
    Free first mapping and backing page
  5. C2
    Freed page reallocated to victim
  6. Execute
    Read/write via dangling second mapping
  7. Impact
    Escalate privileges or leak data

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Memory lifecycle management
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Requires the attacker to already run code as a local non-privileged user on a device whose kernel loads a vulnerable Imagination Graphics DDK build (1.18 RTM2, 23.2 RTM2, 24.2 RTM2, 25.1 RTM2-25.3 RTM, or 26.1 RTM1) and to have access to the PowerVR GPU device interface to issue the mapping system calls. The exploit hinges on triggering an integer overflow in the GPU virtual-to-physical mapping path to produce two VAs aliasing one physical page, then winning a reallocation race after freeing the first mapping so the freed page is reused by a victim. Limiting factors: no remote vector (local access mandatory; PR:L means the attacker must already hold an execution foothold), success depends on reaching the GPU driver ioctl surface (which OS sandboxing may restrict) and on the freed physical page being reallocated to a target of interest; no user interaction is needed.

Impact

The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H = 7.8 High) is internally consistent and matches the description: exploitation needs only local access as an already-running non-privileged process, with low complexity and no user interaction, yielding full confidentiality, integrity and availability impact within an unchanged scope. EPSS is low (0.15%, 5th percentile), the CVE is not in CISA KEV, and no POC is referenced - signals pointing to no widespread automated exploitation today. However, EPSS/KEV systematically under-weight local GPU driver bugs, which are rarely mass-scanned yet highly prized for sandbox escapes and root escalation on mobile/embedded devices; a controllable read/write UAF over reallocated physical memory is a classic, reliable exploitation primitive. Net: a genuine escalation-of-privilege priority for any device shipping the affected DDK, not a high-CVSS-but-low-real-risk issue, even though internet-facing mass exploitation is not the threat model. The description implies local access, which AV:L correctly reflects - no conflict among signals.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A malicious or compromised non-privileged app on a device using the vulnerable PowerVR DDK issues crafted GPU mapping system calls that overflow an internal size calculation, creating two GPU virtual mappings aliased to one physical page. The app frees the first mapping (releasing the physical page), lets the kernel reallocate that page to another process or privileged structure, then reads and writes it through the still-valid second mapping to leak secrets or corrupt memory toward privilege escalation. No public exploit is identified at time of analysis, but the low-complexity local vector makes a reliable weaponized exploit plausible.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Jul 13, 2026

Local privilege escalation in Imagination Technologies' Graphics DDK (PowerVR GPU driver) lets a non-privileged user trigger a use-after-free by abusing an integer overflow in GPU memory-mapping system calls. The flaw allows two GPU virtual addresses to alias the same physical page; freeing one mapping releases the page while the second dangling mapping retains read/write access, enabling cross-process memory disclosure and corruption. No public exploit is identified at time of analysis and EPSS is low (0.15%), but the local read/write UAF primitive is a strong stepping stone to kernel-level compromise.

RemediationAI

Upgrade the Graphics DDK to a fixed release as directed by Imagination's advisory at https://www.imaginationtech.com/gpu-driver-vulnerabilities/; the input data does not list an exact fixed version, so the specific patched build should be taken as vendor-confirmed only once obtained from that advisory (no independently verified fix version is available here). In practice the fix must be delivered through the SoC/device vendor's firmware or OS driver update, so coordinate with the platform vendor for the corresponding patched image. Where patching is not yet possible, compensating controls are limited because the attack originates from any local non-privileged process: reduce the population of untrusted code that can reach the GPU driver (restrict installation/execution of untrusted third-party apps, and where the OS supports it constrain access to the GPU device nodes/ioctl interface via SELinux/sandbox policy), accepting that this can break legitimate GPU-accelerated applications; and monitor for anomalous GPU allocation patterns. These controls narrow, but do not eliminate, exploitability until the driver update is applied.

Affected VersionsENISA

Graphics DDK 26.1 RTM1
Graphics DDK 1.18 RTM2
Graphics DDK 25.1 RTM2 ≤25.3 RTM
Graphics DDK 23.2 RTM2
Graphics DDK 24.2 RTM2

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The affected component is Imagination Technologies' Graphics Device Driver Kit (DDK), the kernel/user driver stack for PowerVR-family GPUs embedded in many mobile and embedded SoCs (cpe:2.3:a:imagination_technologies:graphics_ddk). GPU drivers expose ioctl-style system calls that let userspace applications allocate and map GPU memory, translating GPU virtual addresses (device VA) to physical pages. The root cause is CWE-416 (Use After Free), reached through an integer overflow in the mapping path: size/bounds arithmetic wraps, causing the driver to create two distinct GPU virtual mappings that resolve to the same underlying physical page. When one mapping (and its backing physical page) is freed, the driver fails to invalidate the aliased second mapping, leaving a dangling GPU-accessible reference to memory that the kernel or another process can subsequently reallocate.

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Severity by source

Vendor (imaginationtech) PRIMARY 7.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.8 HIGH

Attacker runs local unprivileged code (AV:L, PR:L) via straightforward GPU syscalls (AC:L, UI:N); the read/write UAF over reallocated memory yields full C:H/I:H/A:H within an unchanged scope.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (imaginationtech).

CVSS VectorVendor: imaginationtech

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

3
CVSS changed
Jul 13, 2026 - 19:22 NVD
7.8 (HIGH)
CVE Published
Jul 10, 2026 - 20:42 cve.org
HIGH 7.8
CVE Published
Jul 10, 2026 - 20:42 cve.org
UNKNOWN (no severity yet)

DescriptionCVE.org

Software installed and run as a non-privileged user may conduct improper GPU system calls to cause an integer overflow and map two GPU virtual addresses to the same physical address. One of these virutal mappings can be freed along with the physical page, allowing for a read/write UAF via the second mapping

The second virtual mapping references a physical address that has been freed after the first virtual mapping has been freed. This allows the physical memory to be allocated (for example) by another process and read/written to.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Imagination Technologies' PowerVR GPU driver contains a local privilege escalation flaw (CVE-2026-34196, CVSS 7.8) allowing any non-privileged system user to achieve kernel-level read/write access via a use-after-free vulnerability. No vendor patch is currently available, leaving organizations with affected GPU hardware-including mobile devices, embedded systems, and certain laptops-exposed to persistent kernel compromise by internal or physically-proximate attackers. This risk is elevated in environments where endpoint security relies on OS-level privilege boundaries.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations: enforce OS-level privilege escalation prevention (SMAC/SELinux) scoped to GPU memory subsystems; restrict non-administrative user SSH and physical access to affected endpoints; disable GPU acceleration if workload supports it; segment affected systems network-side to contain lateral movement in event of local compromise; implement system call auditing (auditd) on GPU device file access; maintain isolated test system for patch validation when released.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.1%
Top 95% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
PowerVR GPU driver widely embedded in mobile/embedded SoCs, version-dependent
Data Quality
6 sources
Confidence: High

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.1%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

39
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +39
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to access memory through a pointer after that memory has been deallocated.

Memory corruption occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions or accesses memory in unintended ways, violating the integrity of the process's address space.

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